My experience with Sprint

[Formel_Eins]

I was a little apprehensive about giving Sprint another try since JD Power and the latest Consumer Reports rated Sprint the lowest in customer service of all providers. I was a Sprint customer for over 8 years, but switched to AT&T 3 years ago because my wife called Sprint more than 20 times over a 4 month period and her problems were not even resolved. Sprint recently hired a new CEO who has pledged customer service as the highest in priority. I decided to give Sprint another try. I hope that my first week’s experience with Sprint is only due to the fact that “customer service as the highest priority” has not trickled down to all departments yet. To sum up my experience with Sprint: I ordered my new Sprint service and Palm Centro on Tuesday. I found out later that someone in the processing department messed up (delayed the order possessing) and the order was not in the system until Thursday or Friday. I called every day (Wed, Thu, Fri) as I did not receive a tracking number. On Friday, I was told the phone would be shipped overnight arriving on Saturday. I waited patiently on Saturday. After calling Sprint, I found out that shipping did not get my phone to UPS on time and the phone would not arrive until Monday. On Monday, I received my phone, called Sprint and got my phone activated. During the activation process, the Sprint rep asked me to put my phone number into the new phone. That’s when I noticed that Sprint had given me a new phone number. Sprint did not properly port my existing phone number and now, nobody can call me. When calling my number, the following message plays, “The number or code you dialed is incorrect.” The sprint rep told me that it would take 4 to 5 business days to fix this problem. I saw in several Sprint forums that customers called Sprint multiple times until they got a rep that would help. I called again and spoke to another rep, a friendly guy by the name of Jon, who told me after 38 minutes of being on the phone with him that his research would require more time and needed to call me back. So far, I have spent over 3 hours with Sprint. I’m able to make calls, but nobody can reach me on my old number or even has this new number Sprint temporarily gave me. Jon called me back about 30 minutes later and with the assistance of another rep, Kate, they successfully ported my phone number. While I am happy with the final end result, I have to ask, why, why, why. Why was the order delayed? Why did the phone not ship when promised? Why did I have to call back instead of the first rep being able to solve the problem Sprint created. Now, I cannot wait to play with my new Centro! I love its size, including my big fingers on a small keyboard and all .

[comiken205]

Sorry to hear about that. Let me give you my experience. I went directly to the Sprint Store. I purchased my phones, 3 of them, and had the numbers ported by the rep there. They said that in 6-8 hours, my numbers would port. Sure enough, they ported and no issues. This was 4 years ago.

I hate doing phone things via the web and phone. I prefer a live person handling the porting over and such. I have been very happy with customer support. I was with Verizon before, 8 years, and never had issues there.

That was just me and my experience with it.

[stuartrayner]

Eins,

I'm sorry to hear of your experience. I would encourage you to send a copy of your post to Sprint's Customer Relations, or to the new CEO himself!

[RichC]

I hope venting helped ... as I too have had my grumbles in dealing with Sprint. I'm pretty comfortable at the moment and am hoping I do not to need to call for changes anytime soon. One of the peeves that I occasionally have is over billing, but have found they are usually pretty careful about upsetting long term customers.

I have found that if you purchase at a Sprint Store that many of your headaches go away. (Our two Centros were through a web offer and online with an overseas sounding customer service rep. Eventually I requested a higher level of support ... but that was after a waste of an hour -- Centro was just out and reps didn't know much about them)

I do have a gripe about "how to complain about coverage area." There is one area that I am regularly trying to use our Sprint phones in and the signal is weak. All the areas around are covered but about a 1/2 mile square block is spotty. Is there a way to get this request heard?

[contradude]

as far as sprint billing goes, I received a letter from them and it seems like they are doing a massive switchover on their billing systems here in april. I think a lot of sprint's problems with changing billing has to do with the software that they were using. let's just see how it goes after the transition... I bet it'll be at least somewhat better

[eclair]

Sorry you had such a bum start Andreas. Like Stu's comment abour sending a copy of that post to the CEO. I have had Sprint for 12 years. Yes there have been a few little things, but usually they have been resolved to our satisfaction. Have also found that making friends with a couple of the more stable looking employees at the local Sprint store has bailed me outta trouble several times, not to mention a 24% discount, and excellent service. Whenever I have had a treo problem I can't solve with help from treonauts, the guys at the (*2) tech dept. have been more knowledgeable and helpful than the palm people. (they all seem to be somewhere in Okla. or Kansas ) I know everyone won't have the same experience, but I sure hope your future is brighter, and that you LOVE your new centro.
Oh yeah, the new billing thingie is a pain in the tutu. Had to re-set my sprintpcs mail account AND new passwords and new pin numbers today. Oh well, at least it's done. Hope I can remember what I did tomorrow! (sigh!)

[florian]

Now this story you will hear is just an example of why Sprint will bankrupt! They don't listen to their customers.

I am 3 year customer of sprint, On my Family plan (out of the contract now) I wanted to add Unlimited data internet plan ( I do have Sprint card, no reasonable need for another contract).

I even offered to pay upfront for the month, so instead of paying after the month of use, I wanted like with T-mobile flex-pay, to pay month upfront.

They first say it's not possible without 2 year contract, The plan is 59.99$. Than after 2nd or 3rd agent, one lady told me it is possible month to month, but its 90$! (it's like a PUNISHMENT for wanting to be a good customer, to pay infront, to double my service, spend more money, hello!)

I ask them for any reasonable reason why I should sign the contract on two years. All I got is that's the way we do business. Well that's exactly the way you will bankrupt!

No thanks, Sprint no more for me. Ever!

[LotusLord]

I'm very happy with At&t at the moment, but Sprint would be my next choice. Many of my friends are with them, and very happy, and their data rates are much more reasonable. If T-Mobile had a 3G network they'd be next.

[jfa02]

Well I am happy with ATT and have been for many years otherthan my 750 still shows up for some odd reason as Cingular service even though the rest of my family on the same towers gets an ATT on their equivalent of the homepage. Thats why I am still with cingularly ATT

[Formel_Eins]

I kept my wife on AT&T and we have problems with them as well. I switched to Sprint because AT&T at the time offered only the white Centro. I did not care for that color and none of the AT&T reps could tell me if there where other colors in the pipe (This was just over 3 weeks ago, I don’t understand AT&T’s business practice of not informing customers, and potentially loosing customers, of new colors and devices that come out 10 days later). Looking into Sprint I also found the SERO plan. AT&T was going to charge me over $500 per year more than Sprint for the same unlimited data, email, sms plan. It also seems that Sprint data is much faster than AT&T.

BTW I have had no problems with my service since I have gotten everything straighten out at the beginning. At this point I am pretty happy with my Centro and Service and looking back I would not have been saving over $500 per year if AT&T would have had a better color choice for the Centro.